


Golden World

by mihrsuri



Series: The Tudor Triad [5]
Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Historical, Family Feels, Multi, OT3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:26:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25486204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mihrsuri/pseuds/mihrsuri
Summary: It is almost a dream, Henry thinks. Once he had never thought he would have this - a large and happy family, the succession secure, the realm at peace and the Tudor Dynasty secured. And now, thanks to his loves it has been made real. [The Tudor Triad 1547 and the journey to a truly golden world]
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Thomas Cromwell/Henry VIII of England, Mary I of England/Philipp Herzog von Pfalz-Neuburg | Philip of Bavaria, Robert Dudley/Elizabeth I of England
Series: The Tudor Triad [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1177625
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	Golden World

“Two babies?” Owen says in wonderment and Henry smiles down at his son and says, yes there are two and would he like to see them. There is an excited chorus of yes as the other children follow behind Henry and Henry takes Owen into his arms to walk back to the bedchambers he, Anne and Tom share. 

It is almost a dream, Henry thinks. Once he had never thought he would have this - a large and happy family, the succession secure, the realm at peace and the Tudor Dynasty secured. And now, thanks to his loves it has been made real. 

“She’s so small!” 

“He’s so big” 

“If he grows any more then he’ll be a giant” 

“I don’t think your new brother has giant blood my darlings, but he is big” Anne says with a smile, careful not to move too suddenly still in the aftermath of the birth but Henry can see she is healthy and delighted.

“And he looks like me” Liam bounces happily as he peers over the bed to look at his new brother. “And she looks like Mama” 

Bess, George and Tommy follow behind their younger siblings but their smiles are just as wide even if at thirteen, eleven and eight they are too old to dash to their parents bedside. Henry has never wanted his children to be formal with their family in private and so he simply lets them hug him and then turn towards their mother and their other father. 

Tom is sitting next to Anne, delight in his eyes as he looks down on their youngest children and Henry admits that he enjoys the sight just as much as he had the very first time. He always will and he wonders for the thousandth time how he could have ever thought he might have lived without this blessing. 

And now they have two more children. 

The boy had been born first and he is indeed very like Liam and Meg - a cheerful and active baby already and with a mass of red hair. Their little princess had been the surprise and she? she is Anne in miniature except for the curls in her hair - a sweet little fairy of a baby. 

And then he sees another small head poking around the door, followed by two more. His grandchildren, though he certainly does not feel the age for it it cannot be denied they are a delight every day. Little Anne who is four and largely known by Anna, Phillip who had been dubbed Felipe (”so we can tell him and Uncle Phillip apart” Owen had said solemnly) who is five and then Cat (who was christened Katherine but stubbornly refuses to answer to anything but Cat) who is six. It is Anna who exclaims that the babies are too small to be aunts and uncles (”Perhaps they can be called something else” Tom says solemnly but with a smile dancing around his eyes) but it is Cat who asks for their names. 

“We can’t keep calling them baby uncle and baby aunt” 

“The boy is Edmund” Henry says, knowing that he, Tom and Anne had discussed it as a name for a son. 

“We’ve been learning about Philippa of Hainault and I think it would be a good name for her Papa” 

He looks down at his second son and nods. Queen Philippa had been a wise, gentle and gracious Queen and as well as that it would be a tribute to his son-in-law who they all greatly admired and loved. 

“I think we should call her Pippa though. Because she’s so little.”

“That is a very good idea my Owen. Our little Pippa and Ned.” 

“Our little flower fairy” Henry says looking down at his daughter with delight. 

It is a good year. A golden year. It will only get better, Henry thinks as he looks at his family around him - from Mary and Phillip to his two new babies. 

-

“Valide, Prince Thomas has written to me - may I go to read his letter in the gardens?” 

When she is given permission Mihrimah Sultan dances with delight inside but she does not do so on the outside - instead she gracefully rises from her seat to take her Princes letter to read it in the corner of the gardens that has her favourite fountain and jasmine vine. 

Perhaps she should not call him her prince but Mihrimah knows he is, even if she has only letters to go by. He has been her prince ever since they first started writing to each other five years ago - they know each other and they are friends. Lately though, she has been staring at the portrait that was sent by the ambassador and there is a feeling like that which she has felt before her birthday. 

And soon, soon she will be able to meet him and to see the country that she will help him rule one day and it is scary, a little, to think of being so far from home and her family but she is also excited. And she knows that it is a challenge she can be mistress of. 

-

“So Tommy is to marry the Ottoman Princess?” 

Her mother sounded less upset than Mary might have thought but after all, the girl was to convert and that counted for a great deal - to be able to save her soul was certainly a coup and as well, as much as her mother might have wanted a Spanish Infanta for Mary’s brother there was no princess of the right age and she would have wanted a French Princess less than the Ottoman girl. 

“If all goes well when they are introduced, yes - I believe they will not be married in truth for several years afterwards but she will stay in England so that they might begin to learn to rule and live together.”

Mary smiled a moment then. 

“Tommy seems to like her very much, at least.” 

She feels a twinge at her mothers expression - she knows her mother loves Tommy as her own - loves all her siblings deeply but Mary also knows that he reminds her of the sons she had lost and sometimes it stings to think of. 

Mary had thought it might hurt more to know that it would be her brother, not her children who would succeed their father as monarch, thought she might have resented her siblings for it, at least a little. But she does not and betimes she feels guilt for it, that she had signed away her childrens rights. 

But then Tommy is a legitimate prince with four brothers and no one would pursue her claim ahead of theirs. And then there is the fact that none of her children have any interest in ruling or the crown and perhaps it is no bad thing that they do not wish this burden, that they will never be a threat to their cousins. 

It still does hurt, even after all these years that she was not enough for her father. They have a new peace now, she and her father but that will never not be a pain for Mary. She smiles now when her mother looks at her worriedly and it seems to calm her. 

“Tommy finds people very easy to like my darling - but I wonder, does she like him?”

**Author's Note:**

> 1547 was the year that Henry died in our universe. I didn't actually realise that when the twins happened but like, it's definitely Something.   
> Elizabeth is 13 turning 14 when the story starts (George is eight turning nine, Thomas is 11, William is 7 turning 8, Margaret is 6 and Owen is 5) (Forgive me for any errors I have done my best but I fail at maths).


End file.
